What it’s really like to fly Air NZ’s Skycouch on a long-haul

Sunday, 29 June 2025

The route

Flight NZ288 from Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China, to Auckland International Airport.

The plane

We flew the twin-jet Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Time in the air

The flight is about 11 hours and there were no delays.

The seat

36H in economy but on the Skycouch. This was my first time on the foldout couch which meant I got the whole row to myself - window seat, the ability to jump out into the aisle at whim without clambering over someone, and best of all, being able to stretch out and sleep.

Comfort factor

If you’ve got the dosh, Skycouch is a really great way to travel - potentially better than premium economy, particularly for an overnight flight, given you get to lie out completely.

The flight took off at 2pm but because of the 6am landing I knew I’d need to get some shut-eye if I wanted to arrive back in New Zealand with some semblance of energy, so I tried to kip as soon as I could.

After dinner I pulled up the seats so the leg rests were flat (easy), clumsily made the bed with the provided sheet, blanket and pillow (how cute) and attempted to strap myself in following the guide (I’m not sure I did it right). The seat comes with an ‘adult loop belt’ to strap you in when you’re horizontal and a sweetly-named ‘cuddle belt’ if you have a partner with you.

I slept most of the way, but not before wondering if my 6’2 boyfriend would have comfortable fit alongside me. As a five footer, I found the skycouch a perfect cosy space - it measures 5’1 (1.55m) - but it’s still an economy row on a plane You’ll know exactly what I mean if you’ve ever had a whole row to yourself and been able to flick the arm rests up to lie out. That said, on a long-haul flight it may as well be a king-sized bed. Fliers can book the space for a maximum of three, including a child.

Although I’m a fan of taking a flight at either end of the day so as not to waste the whole day, the 2pm flight was actually quite luxurious - I got to sleep in, spend the whole morning before check-out at the hotel, enjoy a sunny park stroll, before leisurely making our way to the airport. It was nice.

The entertainment

It was probably the least amount I’d ever used a headset on a flight but I did get into The Big Short, which I stopped after dinner, and then picked up again about an hour before landing, with Led Zeppelin belting over the credits as we touched down. Nice timing. With the Skycouch, I felt comfortable enough not to feel like I needed to distract myself with mindless screentime.

The amenities

Wi-fi was available but I didn’t use it.

The food

Very good, and filling, as usual, although the salad, regrettably, had a hair in it.

The service

Always a cut above the rest - meals came and went quickly and top ups of drinks were generous.

The frequency

Air New Zealand flies non-stop from Auckland to Shanghai five times per week, increasing to daily over northern winter peaks from December. See: airnewzealand.co.nz

The essentials

Pricing for Skycouch has multiple factors influencing it including demand, booking class in the itinerary and the number of people using the couch. You book a normal fare for each passenger and then add the Skycouch option on top - at the end of the booking process the fare will be stipulated per person with the Skycouch on top. An economy fare for one from Auckland to Shanghai in September 2025 was priced at $811, but adding a Skycouch brought it to $2021.

The writer was hosted by Air New Zealand.